ORIGINALLY BUILT IN 1962
,
but recently
refreshed, the award-winning, four-star
Memmo Baleeira works its retro vibe with
designer-name touches (Philippe Starck
lamps, Tom Vac chairs) while incorporating
all the conveniences and amenities of the
21
st century – notably the deluxe spa,
indoor and outdoor pools, and restaurant
where locally sourced food is the mantra.
While it would be easy to simply recline
on the Egyptian-cotton sheets in one of the
144
rooms with private balcony and enjoy
views over the beautiful Martinhal Bay in
Sagres, the hotel can arrange all manner of
things to get you out, from dolphin-spotting
boat trips to learn-to-surf classes – or book
you in for dinner at authentic A Eiro do Mel
(
tel: +351 282 639 016, eiradomel.com
)
for the
best cataplana you’re ever likely to eat.
Book
at hotels.easyJet.com
The Vineyard
London Luton
|
Wine-lover's dream
|
From €225
WITH A WINE LIST AS
thick as a phone book,
vinotherapy treatments in the spa and
a lobby decorated floor-to-ceiling with
3,000
vintage bottles, it’s instantly clear
what the focus is at this aptly named
hotel. For owner Sir Peter Michael, who
spends half his life among his vineyards in
Sonoma County, California, sharing good
wine with others is his life’s passion.
With his like-minded family, he founded
this beautiful five-star retreat on the
outskirts of wealthy Newbury in 1996 as
a comfortable haven for wine enthusiasts,
who come from a wide radius to sample
the 30,000-bottle cellar and trust the
services of the award-winning sommelier.
The 49 bedrooms are hued in tones of
white or red wine, and master suites are
replete with sumptuous four-poster beds:
perfect for sleeping off the effects.
No surprise then, that it’s become a
hit. On weekend nights, the restaurant
is brimming with guests who have come
to sample French tasting menus and
compete with friends over the blind wine
tasting. Each course is accompanied by
two wine samples, one French, the other
Californian, and it takes someone as
knowledgeable as Michael himself to get
five out of five.
Book at hotels.easyJet.com
Memmo Baleeira
Faro
|
Retro design pad
|
From €92
WORDS
AMY DENNIS, LIZ GRANIRER
H O T E L
R E V I E W S
01
The Vineyard’s garden
02
Luxury, comfort and country-house
style are hallmarks of the bedrooms
01
02
1 1 5
V I E W P O I N T S
